James Hancox @ Assembly George Square

James Hancox’s new hour at the Fringe smacks of self-indulgence, but he is very aware of it, so when the show begins, the audience is on-side. The title is self-explanatory, and the show is geared towards creating ‘alternative’ sports for all to enjoy. However, what begins to unfold thereafter increasingly feels less like a comedy show and more like an hour of solid audience participation.

At times, jokes feel a little crowbarred into quieter moments and because of this tend to be a little weak. On top of this, at times it seems as though Hancox was a little too conscious of the time of day (late afternoon), and tried to tone down the jokes that could be interpreted as slightly less PG – but this didn’t seem necessary.

However, this does not make Sports for the Unsporty a show which is not worth seeing. There are laughs, there are prizes, and Hancox carries off the show with great energy and enthusiasm for his newly-invented roundup of sports.

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James Hancox: Sports for the Unsporty, Assembly George Square (The Bubble), until 26 Aug (not 13), 4pm, £8-12.50

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